Fuchsia plant named &#39;VOLFUC 5055&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Fuchsia plant named ‘VOLFUC 5055’, characterized by its relatively compact, mounding to trailing plant habit; freely branching habit, dense and bushy plant form; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; and red purple and violet-colored flowers.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Fuchsia×hybrida

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘VOLFUC 5055’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Fuchsiaplant botanically known as Fuchsia×hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘VOLFUC 5055’.

The new Fuchsia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Muenster, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new compact and freely branching Fuchsiaplants with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Fuchsia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in 2008 in Muenster, Germany of two unidentified proprietaryselections of Fuchsia×hybrida, not patented. The new Fuchsia plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Muenster, Germany in 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Fuchsia plant by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled environment in Muenster, Germany since 2009 hasshown that the unique features of this new Fuchsia plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Fuchsia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘VOLFUC 5055’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘VOLFUC 5055’ as a new and distinct Fuchsiaplant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, mounding to trailing plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit, dense and bushy plant form.    -   3. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Red purple and violet-colored flowers.

The new Fuchsia plant can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Fuchsia differ primarily from plants of thefemale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Fuchsia are more mounding than and not as        trailing as plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Fuchsia are more freely flowering than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Fuchsia and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have dark pink and lilac-colored flowers.

The new Fuchsia plant can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Fuchsia differ primarily from plants of themale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Fuchsia are more mounding than and not as        upright as plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Fuchsia are more freely flowering than        plants of the male parent selection.    -   3 Plants of the new Fuchsia and the male parent selection differ        in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have red        and white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Fuchsia can be compared to plants of Fuchsia ‘DollarPrincess’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inMuenster, Germany, plants of the new Fuchsia and ‘Dollar Princess’differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Fuchsia were more compact and less vigorous        than plants of ‘Dollar Princess’.    -   2. Plants of the new Fuchsia were more mounding than and not as        upright as plants of ‘Dollar Princess’.    -   3. Plants of the new Fuchsia were more freely branching than        plants of ‘Dollar Princess’.    -   4. Plants of the new Fuchsia had smaller leaves than plants of        ‘Dollar Princess’.    -   5. Plants of the new Fuchsia had smaller flowers than plants of        ‘Dollar Princess’.    -   6. Plants of the new Fuchsia and ‘Dollar Princess’ differed in        flower color as plants of ‘Dollar Princess’ had red        purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Fuchsia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Fuchsia. The photograph on the first sheet is a top perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘VOLFUC 5055’ grown in a container.The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘VOLFUC 5055’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the spring in 12-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Muenster, Germany and under culturalpractices typically used in commercial production. During the productionof the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 20° C., nighttemperatures ranged from 15° to 18° C. and light levels ranged from5,000 to 40,000 lux. Plants were pinched one time and were six monthsold when the photographs and the description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2005 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Fuchsia×hybrida ‘VOLFUC 5055’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection            of Fuchsia×hybrida, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection            of Fuchsia×hybrida, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one to two weeks at            temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two to three weeks at            temperatures ranging from 15° C. to 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About three weeks at            temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About 30 days at            temperatures ranging from 15° C. to 23° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; yellowish white in color,            actual color will depend on substrate components.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Relatively compact, upright and            mounding to trailing growth habit; freely branching habit            with about ten to twelve primary lateral branches each with            multiple secondary and tertiary lateral branches developing            per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch development;            dense and bushy plant form; moderately vigorous growth            habit.        -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 25 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 10 cm to 15 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 3.5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1 cm to 2 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright then outwardly arching to            trailing.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—Close to 59A to 59B.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 4 cm to 5 cm.        -   Width.—About 2 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate, elongate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Serrate to dentate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves and fully expanded, upper surface:            Close to 137A; venation, close to 137A. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation,            close to 137C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to N79C becoming closer to            187A and 59A with development.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single axillary flowers;            flowers radially symmetrical; flowers initially upright and            then pendulous; freely flowering habit, typically one to two            flowers develop per leaf axil; at one time, about 140 to 160            flowers per plant.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; flowering            recurrent from mid-April through October in Northern Europe.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about two to three days on            the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4.5 cm to 5.5 cm.        -   Flower height (depth).—About 4 cm to 4.5 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm to 3 cm. Diameter: About 2            mm to 5 mm. Shape: Oblong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            Initially, close to 145A becoming closer to 150B and            eventually closer to 52B with development.        -   Corolla.—Quantity of petals and arrangement: Typically four            petals arranged in a single whorl; petals imbricate. Petal            length: About 2.5 cm. Petal width: About 2.5 cm. Petal            shape: Cordate. Petal apex: Obtuse. Petal base: Attenuate.            Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Petal color: When            opening and fully opened, inner surface: Close to 83A;            towards the base, close to 70C; color does not fade with            development. When opening and fully opened, outer surface:            Close to 83A; towards the base, close to 70C; color does not            fade with development.        -   Calyx.—Quantity of sepals and arrangement: Typically four            sepals arranged in a single whorl and fused at the base;            calyx star-shaped. Sepal length: About 2.5 cm to 3 cm. Sepal            width: About 1 cm. Sepal shape: Elongate oblong; flat to            reflexed. Sepal apex: Acuminate. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal            texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            velvety. Sepal color: When opening and fully opened, inner            surface: Close to 58B; color does not fade with development.            When opening and fully opened, outer surface: Close to 58B;            color does not fade with development.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect:            Arching to horizontal. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 200C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Twelve per flower.            Anther size: About 1.5 mm by 2 mm. Anther shape: Oblong.            Anther color: Close to 53C. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen            color: Close to 18C. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.            Style length: About 3.8 cm. Style color: Close to 63B.            Stigma shape: Ovate, elongated. Stigma color: Close to 18C.            Ovary color: Green.        -   Fruits.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Light purple.        -   Seeds.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 163B.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Fuchsia have been observed    to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to about 33° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Fuchsia have not been    observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Fuchsia    plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Fuchsia plant named ‘VOLFUC 5055’as illustrated and described.